WARNING SIGNS

I came across a scripture that God revealed to me a few years back. It was during the time I had just met someone and we were in the very beginning stages of dating. The scripture was 2 Timothy 3:1-9 There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women… always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Doesn’t really get any clearer than that! This was God’s warning to me about this particular man, but I didn’t take heed. When I read it again I just fell to my knees and wept. I felt so sorry and ashamed for not listening to my Father in heaven. I was so foolish. I know God has already forgiven me of my disobedience, but sometimes I think I haven’t forgiven myself. I sometimes have a tendency to beat myself up. I just don’t ever want to ignore God’s voice and not yield to His warning signs, ever again! And the thought of how much God loves me is so overwhelming at times. He is always there to protect us, guide us, always looking out for our best interest, and yet why do we time and time again, ignore His voice? We desire more the desires of our flesh, rather than God’s desire for us.

When you read the scriptures, especially the Old Testament, God was always giving His people (The Israelites) warning signs. He was doing miracles and wonders right before their very eyes, providing food and shelter everyday, and they still doubted, they still complained and disobeyed Him. It took the Israelites forty years before they entered the promise land, and yet they were just a few miles away the entire time. I guess it’s our human nature, but unfortunately we suffer the consequences of our rebellion. It happened in the garden of Eden when God said to man, “Do NOT partake of this tree or you shall surely die.” That was the warning “you shall surely die” and we still chose death instead of life. We are in this life because we chose separation from our Creator who gave us everything.

Genesis 2:15-17 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

Now, we are living in this fleshly body with blood running through our veins (Genesis 3:21&22) which makes it even harder to make the right choices in life. We are continually battling between the desires of our flesh and the Spirit of God living inside of us.
Galatians 5:16-18 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Even Paul, one of Jesus disciples struggled with this. He writes in Romans 7 - I do not understand my own actions. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. He continues to say, when I want to do good, evil lies close at hand. My inner being delights in God's law, but I see another waging war against my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.

It isn’t that God doesn’t want us to have things, but He knows that there are certain things we are not ready for. It’s for our own protection. If I had listened to God’s word, I could have saved myself two years of a relationship that only led to heartache and pain, and off the path of God’s will for my life. Time and time again, God showed me plenty of signs or “red flags” but I wanted things my way, rather then trusting that God knows what’s best for me and what’s not. I know some will say, “oh it’s okay, your heart was in the right place, you were hopeful and just wanted it to work.” Yes, that’s true, but I still suffered the consequences of my actions. The bottom line is that I ignored God’s voice. There is no other excuse. The good thing is that through it all, I’ve learned that God’s better, is SO much better than what we think is better.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

When I am reminded of these things from the past, it’s not to make me feel guilty, because there is no condemnation in Christ. I believe that it’s just God reminding me how much He loves me and that His grace and mercy endure forever. There is nothing that I can do that will cause him to love me any less or any more than he already does. A dear friend of mine bought me a book titled A Perfect Mess. The timing couldn’t have been more appropriate. It doesn’t matter how many times I mess things up, God is always right there to build me up. That’s what His forgiveness is all about. That’s what Jesus is all about.

Psalm 40: 1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

God literally rescued me from a relationship that was leading me down a path of destruction. Sometimes we may not have the strength of our own will to get out of that hole. As soon as we recognize it, all we have to do is cry out to Jesus for help. He will instantly yank you out of the pit! It may be painful. You may feel like your heart is broken into pieces, but He always gives us a way out. In my case, it had to hurt for me to wake up! But, I am so thankful God rescued me, no matter what it took. He has picked up my broken pieces and has healed my heart and soul. I am so thankful that our God is in the restoration business. If you are in a pit, just call out His name. I guarantee He will rescue you, too. He did it for King David, He did it for me, and He will do it for you, because He loves you so much.

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside
quiet waters, he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,
they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

What is God warning you of, and are you listening?

TIME WELL SPENT

I’m starting to get this feeling of anxiety. I know I’m going to get busy working again and won’t have as much free time, so I’m trying to hurry and get things done that I started at the beginning of the summer. The time has flown by. Where has it gone? It’s a new year already!! I just don’t want to be back at work and be kicking myself thinking, “Why didn’t I do this, or get that done?” Don’t you hate when that happens? We’re given all this free time and yet somehow we waste so much of it. Yes, there is a time to rest, but we need to be diligent and wise with our time too, especially when you know you have things to do that could determine your future. When I get anxious I try to remember the scripture that says:

Philippians 4:6&7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The past couple of mornings I slept in and just stayed in bed a little longer then usual. Of course the rain was the instigator. I love how my 93 year-old Grandmother from Scotland puts it, “I had a long lie.” I confess I had a few long lies. On the flip side of that, it makes me think of that famous quote, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” But, sometimes it just feels great to sleep in. I don’t know about you, but I love to sleep! There is nothing better than a good nights sleep, or an afternoon nap. “Forty winks” as grandmother would say. I think of those who suffer sleep depravation. I can’t ever imagine what that would be like. What a horrible thing to suffer. I have never experienced it to that degree, but I have had nights when I couldn’t sleep due to worry or too much on my mind. It’s a terrible thing. I always feel like a wreck the next day.

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

It’s a new year, and already January is near its end. Is it just me, or does it seem that time is going even faster? Is that what happens as we get older? Usually, every New Year, I like to sit and reflect on the past year, look back at my journal and check off the goals that I actually accomplished for the year, and then I make a new list for the New Year set before me. However, this year I decided to make a change and do things differently. My friend has a great quote. I don’t know if it’s actually hers or she’s quoting someone else, but it goes like this; “If you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.” I love that! Sometimes we get into our routines and nothing changes. So, it’s time to make a change!

I believe last year was a challenging year for many. I can attest to that. Actually, the beginning of the year was going great, but at midpoint, the challenge began. This was the first in all my years of freelance to be out of work for so long. But, it never ceases to amaze me how God uses what we think is a bad thing and turns it into something great.

If I didn’t have the time off, I would not have been available to be an Auntie to my beautiful niece whose adult life is just beginning, and help her get registered in college. I would not have been available to help my dearest and best friend move into her new home, which some of you know can be very stressful, and also the opportunity to spend more time getting to know her wonderful family, who I can now call my second family. I wouldn’t have been able to spend those mornings working out with another friend of mine who was also out of work, going to breakfast together and keeping each other encouraged. If I didn’t have the time off, I would not have been available to just love and comfort another dear friend of mine who is battling Aids. I wouldn’t have been available to spend time with my father who’s now retired and trying to get use to so much free time. And the extra special time spent with my mother, having our tea and a biscuit while talking for hours about the Lord. I’d say God has filled my time pretty well! There isn’t a job or amount of money that is worth more to me than these precious moments. I’m truly blessed with so much more and I am so thankful to be available.

Matthew 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Bitter or Grateful?

I decided to read the story of Ruth and Naomi in the Bible (Book of Ruth). I’ve read this story before and have heard it many times. Usually, the emphasis is on Ruth and her great display of a servant’s heart. It seems I’ve always focused on the part where Naomi instructs Ruth on how to win the heart of Boaz, by laying at his feet, and how Boaz represents Christ. He was their kinsman redeemer. Today, Christ is our redeemer…The one and only Redeemer of the world. This time, as I read the book of Ruth, I asked God to reveal to me what he wants me to get out of this story, something new about Ruth and Naomi that I may have missed before. This is my new perspective:

Here we have two women, Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth, who both went through the same suffering. One, older and wiser, the other younger and perhaps more resilient. They both lost their husbands and family because they had deserted their homeland during a famine, but the one thing I noticed is that they differed in their attitude. This story is about the hearts of two women. In their difficult time, Naomi became very bitter and blamed God for all the misfortune in her life. She believed God was punishing her. In fact she even changed her name to “Mara” which means “bitterness.” Ruth, on the other hand, had an attitude of gratitude. She was still grateful to be alive. She was willing to put the past behind her and do whatever was necessary to start a new life, to build a new future for her and Naomi. And because of her servant’s heart, she chose to stay with Naomi and take care of her. Ruth worked the fields in order to provide for both of them. Because of Ruth’s attitude and faithfulness, their lives were turned around. She found favor in a man of good standing. God blessed her with a husband (Boaz) and they gave birth to a son. Ruth gave her son to Naomi so she would not be left without a kinsman, so the family name could live on. Through this family lineage, came David who became the King of Israel and a man after God’s own heart.

Which of these women do you identify with? Hopefully, we all choose to have the attitude of Ruth. But, I think many of us are like Naomi. We are bitter that our lives are not what we would like, or we have hurts and pains from our past that we are not letting go of, and we’re blaming God, or think that He is punishing us. So, we choose to sit in our bitterness and misery like Naomi, instead of being grateful and thankful for what we do have, as Ruth did.

Deuteronomy 30:19&20 – Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to Him…

The key word here is “choice.” How are you choosing to live your life in 2010?

COMPASSION

Luke 19:41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it…

Whenever I read about Jesus, the one thing that stands out the most, for me, is his heart of compassion. When you read in the New Testament of the accounts when Jesus healed people, it always says, he had compassion.
Matthew 4:14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 20:34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Isn’t that one of the motives behind the act of love… compassion. The two go hand in hand. You can’t have love without compassion and you can’t have compassion without love.

There are times when I get this overwhelming heaviness in my heart. This sense that comes from the depths of my soul and I begin to weep. Not just weep, but it’s this uncontrollable cry from my belly. At the time, I might be thinking of someone who I care for deeply, who may be going through some struggle in their life, or I may hear of the injustice of children around the world who are suffering, or see a movie that touches on this. It’s as though my heart has been given the compassion of Jesus when he stood on that hill and wept for a lost world. Maybe it’s the Holy Spirit grieving inside of me, or groaning, as the scripture describes.
Romans 8:26&27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

I don’t know why this feeling comes upon me at times. It’s not something that I have control over, it just happens on various occasions. I do believe it’s as though God is giving me a glimpse of seeing the world through the eyes of Jesus, and that He is just reminding me of His enormous love for the world and keeping my heart right. I pray I never lose a heart of compassion for others.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

I am always amazed when I hear a follower of Christ say that they don’t want the Lord to come again, just yet, because they have too much work still to finish. I think, “Wow, what a selfish thing to say!” How can anyone want the world to keep suffering, because you think you still have some great work to do? Do you actually think God is waiting for you to save the world? Can you stop all the suffering in this world? No, you cannot! When I see or hear of the world’s suffering, I pray, “Lord come quickly!”

Matthew 6:1-4 Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

How do you see the World?

Life of Freelance

Most of my friends tease me because they say, “When Rhoshan isn’t working, she’s traveling!” I guess that is my motto. I’ve learned to not sit around and live in fear thinking, “But what if someone calls me for work while I am away? What if I miss out on the next big project?” What kind of way is that to live your life? I believe God gives me rest and time for myself to enjoy and appreciate the greater things in life.

During the summer most of the Entertainment Industry goes on hiatus. This is a common practice in our business. This year I have had an extended summer vacation. I’ve learned through experience to prepare myself for these times, when business is slow. However, this year many have been affected by the recession due to the economic state of our country, or the world for that matter. Many of my friends and colleagues don’t understand why and how I prefer to work as an independent contractor, rather then having a full-time staff position with a company that provides all the benefits. I had that once. I was working for one of the major Networks and after four years I left to enter the world of freelance…. and to this day I have no regrets. It was the best thing I ever did in my professional life and personal life. Stepping into the world of freelance truly opened my eyes to the more significant things of life, like spending more time with my family and friends, reading that 600 page novel that’s been collecting dust on the shelf, going to Africa to build a home for abandoned children, or simply just sitting at a café sipping my latte while journaling. It truly changed my perspective and my priorities. Some people live to work, but I work to live. Maya Angelou put it like this, "Making a living is not the same thing as making a life." There are very few who can actually say they love their job and are doing what they always dreamed of doing professionally. But, like anything, it too becomes a routine and loses its appeal, or it seems once we’ve accomplished one thing, it no longer satisfies and we set our sights for the next thing that we think will satisfy our desires. I believe until our desires are in alignment with God’s will for our life, we will never be satisfied. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

The greatest thing for me that has come out of living the life of an independent contractor is that it has taught me to live by faith. I am pretty much forced to live by faith on a daily basis. I am completely trusting God where my finances are concerned, even more so in this time of uncertainty. Matthew 6:25 do not worry about your life what you will wear or about your body what you will eat…. The scripture continues to say that worrying doesn’t add another hour or day to your life. I know that God is my provider, not the world. God has given me talents and yes, it is up to me to develop them and do my part, but then He does the rest. Deuteronomy 8:17&18 You may say my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me, but remember the Lord your God for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…
It seems just when there is an opportunity for me to go back to being on staff, something unforeseen happens and the position has been dissolved. I believe it is not by coincidence. It’s just not meant for me to go back to that life. God wants me totally and completely dependant on Him. I think it’s easy to get into our comfort zone and become complacent in our jobs and life in general. I’m not saying this is for everyone. Obviously, if you have a family and kids to support, then most definitely, it’s crucial to have security in that area of your life. I am a single woman, living in Los Angeles, working in the Entertainment Industry and have only myself to take care of. My life is a testimony that the Lord has provided for me above and beyond. When we are faithful to Him, He is faithful to us. Time and time again, God has made provision. At times it seems like the eleventh hour, but God’s timing is always right on time. His ways are not our ways, His thinking is so not our small way of thinking.

For example, as soon as I took the steps of faith to start writing this blog, the Lord brought a dear friend back into my life who is now my roommate for the time being. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect! I can now exhale knowing I don’t have to worry about paying those never ending bills. My friend had a need, I had a need and now we are meeting each other’s needs. I love how God orchestrates it all so beautifully! He blesses us so we can be a blessing to others.

One Sunday afternoon, I had lunch with a couple of my girlfriends after church. We were discussing the amazing message we had just heard in church. My friend posed a question to me and asked, “If I don’t get a job in my line of work would I be willing to just take any job? “ Assuming she meant a job as a receptionist, production assistant, retail sales, waitress, etc. I replied, “Absolutely not. That is not even an option.” I think she was a bit taken back by my response, and asked if I was too proud? I replied that it has nothing to do with pride. God has already dealt with me in that area. Trust me I have had my years of taking jobs beneath my skills and doing whatever was needed to make ends meet. It was a very humbling time, but that was for that season of my life. If I had said yes to my friend, what would that say about my faith in God? If I accept that, then I am saying God is not bigger than my circumstance. I am putting God in a little box and that would not say much about how I see Him and how He values me. I so love in the book of Job when God sets Job straight of his arrogance by questioning him, “where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me if you understand…Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades, loose the cords of the Orion? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons….Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? Wow, it just takes my breath away every time I read this passage. How can we ever question God who is the creator of all things!

The message that my friends and I had heard that Sunday was about this very thing. Do we really know who God is? Ephesians 3:20-23 We serve a God who is more then able to do above and beyond our greatest imagination! Amazing how our minds think so small and we forget who He is.

So in conclusion, I continue to live by faith, expecting God for extraordinary things for my life. I am not looking back but looking ahead at the prize that is set before me!

God is in Everything

I’ve been posting my favorite movie lines on Facebook. It’s been kind of fun waiting to see who can guess which movie the line is from. Some of my favorites are: “You have bewitched me body and soul.” – Pride & Prejudice, “You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting.” “I am a writer, I give the truth scope!” – Knights Tale, “I always love finding new places to wear diamonds.” – Gentleman Prefer Blondes. Such great lines! One that I just recently posted is from The Count of Monte Cristo – “God is in everything…even a kiss.” I am so moved by that line, especially, in the context of the film. Here is a man who has given up on God, and after much suffering he is reunited with the love of his life. She says to him that God has given us a second chance, and the Count replies with unbelief, “Can I never get away from Him?” She caresses his face and gently says, “God is in everything…even a kiss” and then she kisses him. Now that’s romantic! It’s so beautiful and yet such a profound statement. God is love and a kiss is an expression of love. I remember the first time I watched the film and heard that line. It took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes, as it is doing now as I write this.

Psalm 139 - Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

God is in everything. This quote made me think of an experience last year when my mother and I were in Scotland for a month visiting my grandmother and family. We had been shopping all day in downtown Glasgow. We got on the bus to head back to my Uncle’s home. The bus was packed with people on their way home from their day of work. It started raining outside. Bucketing down! The bus windows were steaming up inside. The passengers were all so serious and seemed to be in their own thoughts, not very cheerful looking. I’m sure tired from a long day of work. I think my mother and I were the only two talking to each other and laughing. We were driving on a long stretch of road that had grassy hills on either side. As the rain let up, my mother and I looked outside the window and we saw a huge rainbow in the sky. It wasn’t just half of a rainbow, but we could actually see one end of the rainbow all the way to the other end. It was breathtaking. It painted the entire sky. I’ve never seen a rainbow that massive. We both looked at each other as tears welled up in our eyes, and smiled. We were both thinking the same thing. My mother said, “and that’s God’s way of reminding us of His promise that he will never flood the earth again.” We both at that moment felt God’s overwhelming love. I looked around at all the miserable faces and leaned over to my mom and said, “I think we are the only ones who see it.” We kind of chuckled, and I said, “Well, they probably see this everyday and think nothing of it.”

I’m sure some of the folk must have thought that we were two crazy American’s getting all excited over a rainbow, and yet if they only could see what we saw, and felt what we felt. Recognizing God’s magnificent creation and His way of expressing His love to us. It was as if God was kissing us on the cheek.

Psalm 8:3&4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your finger, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him…

Oh Sluggard

I was sitting at Peet’s Coffee house having my Vanilla latte and croissant while reading my daily devotion for the day. I was so blown away! God just continues to comfort me and let me know how much he loves me and that He is with me always and reminds me that He shall supply all my needs!

Last year I came up with an idea for a play, and I started writing it with one of my friends, but now a year later, it’s still not finished. I have a friend whom I love, because she keeps me accountable and says it like it is. She asked me the other day, why I haven’t finished writing my play? Honestly, I have no excuse. I have just been distracted with other things. And then today, one of the scriptures in my devotional was Proverbs 12:24 – the hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be put to forced labor. It’s right there in my face. What am I waiting for?? The time is now! I’ve had my summer off for a reason. God has given me this time to focus on my writing projects and I know he is going to bless them, but He’s waiting for me to get on it! Phillipians 1:6 - being confident of this, that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The other scripture I read was Proverbs 9:11 – How long will you sleep O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep? Okay, okay I get it! If this is not God speaking to me then I don’t know what is! It doesn’t get any clearer than that! I have some friends who don’t think God speaks to them. I just can’t conceive this. All you have to do is open the Word of God and He is speaking! It’s that simple. We don’t hear Him because we don’t know His voice. The only way to get to know God’s voice is to read His Word.

The Lord also comforted me today in reminding me that He is my provider. He will supply all my needs. Let’s face it, even when the work stops, the bills don’t stop. It’s easy to worry and stress out, but 2 Corinthians 9:8 says – and God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

I have never been without and the Lord is not going to stop now. He is the same yesterday, today and forever! Amen!